It is the third state appearance for all three area standouts and they know it is all part of the game for distance runners.

"Anything can happen in this type of race," East Liverpool coach Scott Thornberry said. "At this level of competition, in any sport, the average person doesn't know what you are facing."

Boyer grabbed the 16th and final spot on the podium in Division II, completing the 3.1-mile course at National Trail Raceway in 16 minutes, 11 seconds.

He was in better spirits after stepping off the podium with a medal.

"A little bit," Boyer said.

"I could sense it was harder on him because there were people up there he's beat," Thornberry said.

Boyer was in seventh place after the opening mile before slipping back.

"I think I got trapped behind (at the start) a little bit," Boyer said. "I wanted to try to draft off the leaders and save something to try to catch them.

"I usually take it to them and they took it to me today."

Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary senior Mick Iacofano topped the 150-runner field in 15:32, knocking over a minute off his 23rd-place time last year. Defiance senior Abel Flores was the runner-up for the second straight year.

"Everyone was on top of their game today," Boyer said. "Everyone had the same game plan."

The previous best finish by an East Liverpool boy was by Mark Montgomery, who was 39th in Division I in 2002.

"He'll understand that more later on," Thornberry said.

Boyer said Saturday's race will motivate him during track season.

"I'll be back and I'll attack harder," Boyer said.

Lohnes, who nipped Boyer to win the Boardman regional meet last weekend, was 42nd in 16:37.